Umpire thinks the catcher embarrassed him and ejects him, a breakdown

Mar 27, 2023 3.4M views 3:38

What Happened

In the bottom of the ninth inning of a close game, Chicago Cubs pitcher Craig Kimbrel is on the mound, facing off against Philadelphia Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto. The umpire, a relatively inexperienced AAA-level umpire working his first major league spring training game, is closely watching the proceedings. As Kimbrel prepares to deliver the pitch, the umpire calls a pitch clock violation, even though Kimbrel's knee has not yet fully risen. Kimbrel, unfazed, simply discards the ball and requests a new one. The umpire, seemingly determined to assert his authority, then throws the new ball directly to Realmuto, rather than handing it to Kimbrel as is customary. Realmuto, caught off guard, puts his glove up, expecting the umpire to throw the ball to him. However, Kimbrel has already received the ball from the umpire, leading to a brief moment of confusion. Sensing an opportunity to make his presence known, the umpire ejects Realmuto from the game, stating that the Phillies catcher has "embarrassed" him. Realmuto, stunned by the unexpected ejection, turns to the umpire and calmly explains that he thought the umpire was going to throw the ball to him, so he put his glove up. The umpire, unwilling to admit his mistake, stands firm in his decision, much to the bewilderment of the players, coaches and the crowd. The Phillies' dugout erupts in protest, with the crew chief quickly intervening to try to understand the situation. Realmuto, who has played over 2,000 major league games without incident, is visibly shocked that this is the first time he has ever been ejected from a game. As Realmuto reluctantly exits the field, the crowd cheers him on, applauding his sportsmanship and good-natured response to the umpire's questionable decision. Meanwhile, the umpire is left to ponder his actions, realizing that he may have overreacted and made a mistake in ejecting the respected veteran catcher. This bizarre and comical sequence of events highlights the delicate balance between umpires, players and the game itself and serves as a reminder that even the most experienced officials can sometimes let their emotions get the better of them, leading to questionable calls and unnecessary confrontations.

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